Provisions as to States in Part B of the First Schedule (Omitted)
Official heading: “[The States in Part B of the First Schedule].”
Article 238 applied the general constitutional machinery of Part VI (The States) to Part B States (former princely states and unions such as Hyderabad, Mysore, and Travancore-Cochin) with specific modifications regarding the Rajpramukh. Following the reorganization of Indian States on a linguistic basis in 1956 and the abolition of the distinction between Part A and Part B States, the entire Part VII containing Article 238 was omitted.
- Source edition
- The Constitution of India (as on 1 May 2026)
- Source locator
- Part VII, Article 238, printed page 114
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- Not yet checked
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1. In One Sentence
Article 238 formerly adapted the governance framework of Part VI to Part B States headed by a Rajpramukh, and was omitted when state categories were unified in 1956.
2. What It Means in Everyday Language
At the commencement of the Constitution in 1950, Indian States were classified into Part A, Part B, Part C, and Part D territories.
Part B States were formed by integrating former princely states and unions. Article 238 adapted the provisions of Part VI (which applied to Part A States) to Part B States, replacing references to the Governor with the "Rajpramukh".
The States Reorganisation Act, 1956, and the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956, abolished the distinction between Part A and Part B States, creating a unified category of States and Union Territories. Consequently, Part VII and Article 238 were omitted from the operative Constitution.
3. Practical Illustrative Example
A student reading constitutional history wonders why states like Mysore or Hyderabad had Rajpramukhs rather than Governors between 1950 and 1956.
4. Important Limits, Qualifications & Exceptions
Article 238 is a historical provision omitted in 1956.
- Omitted by the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956 (w.e.f. 1 November 1956).
- Eliminated the constitutional office of Rajpramukh in favour of Governors appointed under Article 153.
- Unified Indian federal structure into States and Union Territories.
5. Historical constitutional wording — not operative
6. Sources & Historical Assembly Deliberations
Assembly quotations are withheld until wording, dates, and attribution have been checked against the primary record.
- •Government of India (Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice) • Part VII, Article 238, printed page 114 • Human source-link check pending
Primary PDF accessed and transcribed with AI assistance on 14 October 2026. Formatting and amendment annotation markers are omitted; operative wording is retained. This is not human legal review. Later amendments and commencement notifications have not been comprehensively checked.